Bee-Culture and the Census. 



Heretofore, we have had no reliable 

 statistics for the whole of the United 

 States with reference to the products of 

 bees. Some of the States have, it is 

 true, given partial statistics through 

 their agricultural bureaus, but even in 

 these, the incompleteness was very an- 

 noying, rendering them almost useless. 

 Two years ago an attempt was made to 

 get such to present before the National 

 Convention at New York. Application 

 was then made to the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture for such statistics as were 

 to be found at the National Capital. 

 The meager returns from the Depart- 

 ment at Washington revealed the fact 

 that no attention had been paid to this 

 growing industry, even though it bad 

 already assumed immense proportions 

 — the products of honey and wax 

 amounting to millions of dollars, 

 annually. 



As soon, therefore, as the Census 

 Bureau was formed, to which was com- 

 mitted the preparations for taking of 

 the "tenth census of the United States, " 

 we, as " President of the North Ameri- 

 can Bee-Keepers' Society," communi- 

 cated with that Bureau, through Gen. 

 LeDuc, Commissioner of Agriculture. 

 We endeavored to impress upon the 

 Census Commission the importance of 

 the industry of bee-keeping, and the 

 value of correct information concern- 

 ing its magnitude. We were then 

 assured by the Census , Commissioner 

 that the bee-keeping industry and honey 

 and beeswax production, should receive 

 appropriate attention. 



Not having heard anything further 

 on ttie subject for about a year, and 

 fearing it might be again overlooked 

 and be omitted from the instructions 

 and blanks given the " Census takers " 

 in the several districts of the United 

 States, we wrote on Dec. 15th, 1879, to 

 special agent J. R. Dodge, Esq., who 

 has charge of the department of agri- 

 cultural products, calling his attention 

 to the matter and inquiring if the 

 necessary steps had been taken to ob - 

 tain complete returns concerning bees, 



honey and beeswax in the forthcoming 

 Census. In reply we have received the 

 following letter from the Superinten- 

 dent of the Census assuring us that 

 "every effort will be made to secure 

 complete statistics," &c: 



Dep't of the Interior, Census Office, 

 Washington, D. C, Dec. 24, 1879. 

 Thomas G. Neioman, Esq., President 

 National Bee-Keepers'' Society, Chicago. 

 Ml, 974 West Madison St. 

 Sir : Your communication of the 

 15th, inst., addressed to J. R. Dodge. 

 Esq., Special Agent, has been referred 

 to this office. In reply to your inquiry, 

 I would say that every effort will be 

 made to secure complete statistics of 

 the production of honey and beeswax, 

 in the approaching tenth Census of the 

 United States. The agencies best 

 suited to this object are now under 

 consideration. Yours very truly, 

 Francis A. Walker, 



Superintendent of Census. 



Knowing that the bee-keepers of the 

 United States will be exceedingly grati- 

 fied with the assurances given in the 

 above letter, we shall offer this Report 

 for publication simultaneously to all the 

 bee-papers of the United States. Our 

 object being to request the bee-keepers 

 throughout the country to be careful, 

 while filling up the Census blanks, 

 to give the number of colonies they 

 have, and whether natives, Italians or 

 hybrids; the number of pounds of 

 honey produced, whether of honey in 

 the comb or extracted, and the number 

 of pounds of wax produced annually. 



^°The Albany Co. Bee-keepers' Un- 

 ion Association will hold their annual 

 Convention on Tuesday, May 11th, 

 1880, at the Geological Lecture Hall. 

 Albany, N. Y. 



The American Entomologist, is the 



name of a new monthly, published by 

 Max Jaegerhuber, 323 Pearl St., New 

 York. It is edited by Professors C. V. 

 Riley and A. S. Fuller, and is devoted 

 to practical and popular Entomology. 

 No. 1 is on our desk and contains 24 

 pages well filled with articles of value. 

 It is published at $2.00 per year. 



